There aren’t many better places to escape the autumn gloom than the gorgeous islands of Macaronesia, and on this 18 night cruise you’ll feel a world away from the wet weather and longer nights back home as you hop between six stunning destinations.

First up is Funchal, where you can wander the pretty streets of Madeira’s capital and enjoy an exquisite afternoon tea at the world-famous Reid’s Hotel; or take in the many natural delights of the ‘garden island’. You could also ride a cable car to the enchanting Monte Palace Tropical Garden; head to the Cabo Girão sea cliff for unforgettable ocean vistas; or perhaps explore the Levada trails and admire the lush island landscapes. Speaking of lush landscapes, the prehistoric laurel forests of La Palma – the Canaries’ ‘pretty island’ – await your exploration next. Santa Cruz de La Palma is also your gateway to the soaring San Antonio Volcano and its vast craters. Braemar will then cruise to Cape Verde and visit two of the archipelago’s most distinctive islands. On Santiago Island you'll visit the Cape Verdean capital, Praia. Here you can unearth fascinating local history at the Archaeology Museum; browse at the busy market; or simply unwind on the nearby beaches. [ReadMore]

São Vicente Island is a showcase of some of Cape Verde’s most spectacular landscapes, with vast volcanic valleys and breathtaking peaks, including Monte Verde – the island’s highest point – awaiting your discovery. Alternatively you may prefer to stay in Mindelo to experience the bustle of the fantastic African market and explore the historic quarter. Returning to the Canaries, calls into Tenerife and Lanzarote will ensure a memorable end to your island-hopping adventure. From Santa Cruz de Tenerife you can head to the popular sun-bathed sands of Playa de Las Americas and soak up the rays; or marvel at magnificent Mount Teide – the world’s third highest volcano – on an unforgettable tour of the island. Then from Arrecife you can take in Lanzarote’s awe-inspiring Timanfaya National Park and the Fire Mountains; visit the beautiful saltwater lagoon of Jameos Del Agua Cave; and much more. En route back to Southampton Braemar will also stop off in Lisbon, offering you the chance to enjoy a relaxing day of sightseeing in the Portuguese capital.

Please note, this is an adult only sailing (18+).

Itinerary

Southampton, United Kingdom

Mon 19 Nov

Early AM

Late Night

Funchal, Portugal

Funchal, the capital of Portugal's Madeiran archipelago, has a timeless old-world charm. Enhanced by a subtropical climate that fills this 'floating garden' with the year-round colours and perfumes of flowers and fruit, Funchal was a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill. His praise of the ci...

Funchal, Portugal

Funchal, the capital of Portugal's Madeiran archipelago, has a timeless old-world charm. Enhanced by a subtropical climate that fills this 'floating garden' with the year-round colours and perfumes of flowers and fruit, Funchal was a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill. His praise of the city has ensured British visitors always receive a warm welcome from locals.

Backed by rolling hills, the town is famous for its harbour, the 17th century São Tiago Fortress (now the Contemporary Art Museum) and world renowned Madeiran wine cellars. Funchal’s parks and gardens are a delight, and a hike through the Laurel Forest nearby is highly recommended. The ancient Funchal Cathedral mixes Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and is noted for its impressive carved wooden ceiling.

Tue 20 Nov

Early PM

Late Night

Santa Cruz, La Palma, Spain

La Palma’s small, yet pretty capital city - is one of the Canary Island’s true gems. Boasting colonial-style architecture, a swathe of charming beaches, restaurants and bars, Santa Cruz is typically Canarian and has something for everyone.
Conquered by the King of Castile in the 15th ce...

Santa Cruz, La Palma, Spain

La Palma’s small, yet pretty capital city - is one of the Canary Island’s true gems. Boasting colonial-style architecture, a swathe of charming beaches, restaurants and bars, Santa Cruz is typically Canarian and has something for everyone.

Conquered by the King of Castile in the 15th century, Santa Cruz de La Palma was a key trading post between Spain and the Americas, and the city’s fascinating history can be explored in the historic quarter – one of Spain’s Historic-Artistic sites. The Naval Museum is a replica of Christopher Columbus's 15th-century Santa Maria sailing ship.

Stunning palaces and sumptuous merchants’ houses butt up against the grand town hall, built during the reign of Phillip II. Religious buildings include the Renaissance-style Church of El Salvador, with a tower of volcanic stone, and the Church of Santo Domingo, which houses a superb collection of Flemish paintings.

The compact city centre is incredibly picturesque, and the newly redeveloped beach and promenade have boosted the city's resort credentials. Calle Real, the city’s main street, is famous for being both a Property of Cultural Interest and a Historic-Artistic Site. Santa Cruz’s finest restaurants, shops and prettiest squares are found here, and sampling the delicious local cuisine and local culture is highly recommended.

Fri 23 Nov

Early AM

Late PM

Praia, Cape Verde

Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, the amazing volcanic archipelago of ten islands and five islets remotely located some 400 miles off the coast of West Africa. This unique, unspoilt destination was a Portuguese territory until independence in 1975, and Praia sits on the southern tip of Santiago Is...

Praia, Cape Verde

Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, the amazing volcanic archipelago of ten islands and five islets remotely located some 400 miles off the coast of West Africa. This unique, unspoilt destination was a Portuguese territory until independence in 1975, and Praia sits on the southern tip of Santiago Island.

The attractive old town centre, called the ‘Plateau’ by locals, is on a raised area overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and has a traditional Portuguese feel. A number of museums and the neoclassical town hall and cathedral are all worth visiting. Smart shops and restaurants cluster in the Achada de Santo António quarter.

This beautiful island settlement benefits from excellent weather all year round, and around the bay, many fabulous beaches can be enjoyed including Quebra, Canela and Praínha.

Sat 24 Nov

Early AM

Late PM

Mindelo, Cape Verde

The port city of Mindelo on the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verdes, retains many features of its colonial past, and is known for its music, carnival atmosphere and blend of Portuguese traditions and Brazilian style.
Situated in Porto Grande Bay, Mindelo is surrounded by low...

Mindelo, Cape Verde

The port city of Mindelo on the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verdes, retains many features of its colonial past, and is known for its music, carnival atmosphere and blend of Portuguese traditions and Brazilian style.

Situated in Porto Grande Bay, Mindelo is surrounded by low mountains and boasts some of the best sea views and scenery in the region. The coastline is awash with natural points of interest, while the man-made Fortim d'El Rei – an abandoned fort that sits on top of a hill above Mindelo port – is well worth a visit.

The Municipal Market, with its vast fish market, is fascinating, as are the well-preserved Governor’s Palace and City Hall – both attractive examples of Portuguese-style architecture. The Torre de Belém is a scaled-down replica of the ancient tower in Lisbon. The fine, wide esplanades around the harbour offer a host of interesting little cafés and tiny shops.

Tue 27 Nov

Early AM

Late PM

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Sophisticated Santa Cruz - Tenerife's capital - is built around boulevards and wide avenues that link elegant squares and parks. Well-preserved buildings feature in the old town, including the colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception and the 18th century Palacio de Carta, which has impressive Ba...

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Sophisticated Santa Cruz - Tenerife's capital - is built around boulevards and wide avenues that link elegant squares and parks. Well-preserved buildings feature in the old town, including the colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception and the 18th century Palacio de Carta, which has impressive Baroque and neoclassical features. Recently redesigned by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, the city’s largest square, Plaza de España, is a pleasant spot to lose a few hours. Lively beaches such as Playa de Las Americas are within easy reach of Santa Cruz too.

Away from the capital, many of Tenerife's highlights await on tours, including the exotic Botanical Gardens or the mystical lava stone Pyramids of Guimar. Exploring the volcanic El Teide National Park to marvel at majestic Mount Teide, or even climb Spain's highest peak, is an unmissable experience.

Wed 28 Nov

Early AM

Early PM

Arrecife, Spain

The bustling port of Arrecife on Lanzarote’s east coast is home to the biggest fishing fleet in the Canaries. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries the city was regularly attacked by pirates. To defend against these raiders, the court of Spain ordered two castles to be built. The first...

Arrecife, Spain

The bustling port of Arrecife on Lanzarote’s east coast is home to the biggest fishing fleet in the Canaries. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries the city was regularly attacked by pirates. To defend against these raiders, the court of Spain ordered two castles to be built. The first built in 1590, Castillo San Gabriel, now houses the island’s Ethnographic Museum, which tells the fascinating story of the islands' original inhabitants: the Guanche.

Castillo San Jose followed later, providing employment and alleviating poverty on the island following volcanic eruptions in the 1730s - it became known as the Fortress of Hunger. Today, it is home to the Museum of International and Contemporary Art, with a small but impressive collection of modern paintings and sculpture. The excellent restaurant in its basement offers diners panoramic views over the harbour. Today, Arrecife is a quirky hotchpotch of sun-bleached buildings and has a pleasant Mediterranean-style promenade.

Fri 30 Nov

Early AM

Late PM

Lisbon, Portugal

Stretched across its seven trademark hills overlooking the River Tagus estuary, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city of Lisbon, is a cinematic collection of cobbled alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals. Decimated by an earthquake in 1755, modern...

Lisbon, Portugal

Stretched across its seven trademark hills overlooking the River Tagus estuary, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city of Lisbon, is a cinematic collection of cobbled alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals. Decimated by an earthquake in 1755, modern Lisbon has been shaped by that eventful day. The Pombaline architecture that now defines the city represents some of the first seismically-protected buildings in Europe.

The city’s bridges include the Ponte 25 de Abril – similar to the Golden Gate in San Francisco – and the Ponte Vasco da Gama, which includes over 11km of viaducts. Lisbon’s many fascinating museums, include the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Coach Museum and the Carmo Archaeological Museum.

Lisbon is also a shopper’s paradise, with the Centro Commercial Colombo – the biggest shopping mall on the Iberian peninsula – and the elegant Avenidas Novas, full of upmarket shops. Alternatively, there bargains to be had in the local flea market, Campo de Santa Clara. Don't miss the chance to sample iconic egg tarts at Pasteis de Belém too.

All rooms are non-smoking, have 24 hour room service and require a European 2 pin plug (220 volts).

Smoking is permitted on room balconies.

Please call for latest prices

JB - Single Balcony Suite

This suite is approximately 190 square feet in size and can be found on Marquee Deck 8 and Bridge Deck 7.These single suites have a bedroom with balcony, sitting area, bathroom with shower and/ or bath.

About Your Ship

Elegant Braemar is the shortest of Fred. Olsen's four smaller, friendly ocean-going cruise ships, with dimensions perfect for cruising picturesque, size-restricted rivers and docking in the heart of fascinating towns and cities. Like the rest of the fleet, Braemar assumes the welcoming feel and intimacy of a country house hotel, and a sense of timeless style and elegance flows through the ship's comfortable bars and lounges, restaurants and spacious accommodation for up to 929 guests.

What's Included?

Rest assured, all of the following comes as standard on every Fred. Olsen cruise:

Comfortable rooms and suites with TV, hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities and individually controlled air conditioning

The Fred. Olsen Difference

Real shipsWe’re not interested in gimmicks like zip wires, climbing walls or celebrity chefs. We don’t have boastful megaships. We take immense pride in our fleet of smaller-scaled vessels that retain the style, ambience and understated quality of a country house hotel. We ensure they remain contemporary too: from winter 2016 to spring 2018 the whole fleet underwent dry dock refits to further enhance the facilities for guests. With the fifth generation Fred. Olsen as Chairman and 170 years of seafaring heritage behind us, we believe we’ve found the perfect formula for you to get the best out of your holiday with us.

Smaller but spacious A smaller ship doesn’t mean less space; far from it. Each room is comfortably sized, with all that you’ll need to enjoy your holiday. In fact, our rooms are comparable to those on some of the mammoth cruise ships. While our vessels are on a more accessible scale, you can have just as much private space. With fewer people on board it’s easy to find a quiet spot to relax in peace with a drink or a good book. There’s room to stretch out by the pool and you can get ashore more quickly too. And when you’re ashore, you’re seeing the best of each port of call with hundreds – not thousands – of others, giving you a much more authentic experience.

Service with a smile Each member of the Fred. Olsen team has been carefully selected for their warm and welcoming personalities. The quality of our people, supported by training and development, ensures they will give you a great holiday: in guest feedback our staff are always the most highly-rated aspect of the whole experience.